Choosing Laughter Over Pain
by Nikki14u
Summary: Paige tries to get Piper to bond with baby Chris while forcing her to deal with the lost of big Chris. Sweet one shot story. Please Read and Review


**NOTE:** This is a short one shot story that I just could not get out of my head. I hope you enjoy it and whether you do or not please don't forget to review!

**Choosing Laughter over Pain**

"Don't you dare tell me how to treat my son Paige!" an irritated Piper yelled as she made her way into her bedroom.

"I wouldn't dream of it besides you would actually have to pay attention to him in order to treat him a certain way Piper!"

"Oh so now you're an expert on how much attention you should pay a two month old? You know what you need to have a few kids of your own, run your own business and schedule in a demon vanquishings before you tell me how much time I should have for or spend with my son"

"He may be your son but he's my nephew and I will do or say whatever the hell I want to make sure he's being cared for properly and it has nothing to do with time management. After all you always had time for Wyatt" the woman shot back unwilling to let her sister off the hook.

It has been two months since her youngest nephew's birth and his mother has been acting more like a babysitter than a mother. She hadn't shown the boy any special attention at all. Instead she would just deal with the child when he needed to be changed or feed and if he wasn't in need of those things then she would just leave him in his bassinet or hand him over to her youngest sister. Not that Paige minded taking care of her precious little nephew but the she knew how important it was for the mother and child to bond beyond the everyday necessities.

At first the woman thought that her oldest sister was still dealing with the pain of losing the older version of her son and just couldn't handle being around him all the time and if that were the case than she would take care of Chris without questioning it but one day her view on the situation changed when her sister said something that completely through her off.

"_Chris didn't die. He's right here and I wish everyone would stop saying other wise" the woman said with a voice full of annoyance. Paige couldn't believe her ears. Did her sister just basically say that the other Chris didn't matter? Was she saying that everything he went through for her, for their family didn't matter any more? No, she didn't mean that, the woman thought to herself before deciding to ask her sister to clarify what she intended to say._

"_What do you mean Piper? Are you saying that you believe when Chris died his soul merged with his younger self?" "No Paige our Chris is different from the one that died. Because he came back and changed the timeline our Chris will not be the same as the one who died and to tell you the truth I couldn't be happier about it" the woman finished before walking out of the room leaving a very stunned and pissed off Paige behind._

The woman was pulled from her thoughts as her sisters voice continued to get yell angrily at her.

"Yes that's right he is your nephew but he's my SON! And back then Wyatt was an only child and I didn't have to make time for two kids. Listen Paige I know you're still hurting from watching the other Chris die and all…"

"Would you stop saying that Piper it's as if you're talking about an entirely different person! He's the same man Piper and I wish you would treat him like your son instead of the kid from down the street that you just happen to be babysitting!" Paige shouted showing no signs of backing down.

"You have no got damn clue what you're talking about Paige! I love my son and for you to suggest other wise is a load of crap!"

"Oh really Piper? Then why don't you or Leo ever hold Chris like you did with Wyatt? Why don't you tell him that you love him or hug and kiss on him like you did your precious almost evil older son? Unh Piper?"

"I do all of those things Paige. Just because you don't see me doing it does not mean that I don't. I spend as much time with Chris as I do with Wyatt" Piper screamed as she began to lose her patience with her little sister.

"LIAR! I have Chris almost every second of the day Piper and have you forgotten that I DON'T LEAVE THE HOUSE! So stop trying to make your self feel better by inventing mother-son bonding moments that have not and probably will not happen, with Chris anyway. Because we all know how much you Phoebe and Leo love Wyatt but that's ok because Chris has me!" she said before storming out of her sister's room and into hers. Unfortunately for her Piper wasn't finished yet.

The second that Paige had sat down on her bed she saw the door to her room fly open with a very angry Piper coming towards her.

"You think you know so much don't you Paige?"

"I'm done arguing with you Piper. Gees it's like hitting your head up against a brick wall and I'm tired of it. Wyatt's your favorite I get it, the world gets it I'm and I'm happy for you. I really am but you know what Chris needs you too I just wish you could see that. I wish you can at least acknowledge what he's done for this family and not toss him aside like some horrible nightmare that you want to forget. Yes I know it's hard looking at him knowing how he died and remembering all the moments you shared with him but he shouldn't be punished just because you're fighting so hard to make the pain go away. That is if you even care"

Looking into her sisters eyes she could tell that she had hit a nerve.

"I care more then you or anyone else knows" a distraught Piper spoke softly before leaving the room with teary eyes.

On any other day Paige would have followed her sister and tired to comfort her and help her through the pain any way she could, but not today. Today Piper Halliwell had to learn her lesson. She had to understand what her actions were doing to her youngest son and the future pain that was sure to follow. Paige just wished that she didn't have to be so hard on the woman but then again she deserved it.

Suddenly a soft cried filled the air. The woman instantly recognized the cry and headed straight into her nephew's room. She then quietly entered the room making sure not to disturbed the boy's older sibling before taking him in her arms and orbing downstairs into the kitchen where she warmed up a bottle before orbing back to her bedroom.

"Its ok sweetie, Auntie Paige is here" she whispered to the child as she moved the bottle to his mouth. She then gave him a soft kiss on the head and smiled sweetly as he reached up to take hold of index her finger.

During this time the woman couldn't help but have thoughts about the older version of the child. She laughed slightly to herself as she remembered the many "discussions" that the two had and how they always seemed to fight like brother and sister rather then aunt and nephew. But then her look of amusement turned into one of pain and heartbreak as she thought about the last time she saw her beloved nephew.

She could see his face clearly and the agonizing look it held as the brightness in his eyes disappeared before he took his final breaths in his father's arms. She wanted to run to him, hold him closely and let the boy know how much she loved him and would miss him. But she knew that his father needed to be the one to hold him as he died so she sat back and suffered in silence and hoped that the boy knew how much his Auntie loved him.

Tears now flowed from her eyes as she the memories became too painful for her to bare. The drops of water then cascaded down her face and onto the dark hair on top of the baby's head which rested on her left arm. She couldn't do this to him, she thought knowing that the child would pick up on her pain. She then tired to think about happier memories that she would create with him but it didn't work. Nothing she could think about would turn off the intense waves of pain and sadness that she was feeling right now. But then something appeared at her side courteously of her nephew.

It was her newly favorite teddy bear that someone had won for her at an amusement park. It was pink and white and had a little bowtie around its neck. Paige picked up the animal and held it tightly as she thought back to the day that he won it for her.

_**Flashback**_

_It was a warm sunny day when Phoebe, Paige and Piper had decided to take Wyatt to the amusement park along with an unwilling Chris. It had taken the girls almost three whole days to convince the boy that both he and the girls needed a break from demon hunting and vanquishing and when he finally caved in the girls couldn't be more thrilled._

_They had spent less than an hour there when a very pregnant Piper felt the need to eat for the fifth time that day._

"_I'm hungry" the woman announced as the smell of hotdogs and nachos filled her nostrils._

"_Piper you just ate two hours ago" Phoebe said trying not to laugh at her sister greed._

"_Hey he's the one with the gluttony issues not me" she smiled pointing to her oldest son. "I'm not going to be 300 pounds after I have you, am I?"_

"_No Mom besides you would look beautiful at any weight" Chris spoke before giving his mother a kiss on the cheek._

"_Ohh, isn't he sweet" she replied._

"_Mama's boy" Paige teased before receiving the look of death from her nephew._

"_Hey no picking on the peanut" warned the boy's mother causing the boy smile smugly in his aunts direction. "Now I'm going to get something or a few things to eat so who's coming with?" _

"_I will" said Phoebe._

"_Ok well I think I'm going to try my luck over there and see if I can get that cute little pink and white teddy bear with the cute little bowtie" Paige said before heading over to destination followed by her nephew._

"_Hey there pretty lady" said the man behind the counter._

"_I just love a man who has good taste. Here's two dollars kind sir" Paige said handing the cash over and receiving four baseballs._

"_Are you going to play or did you come to watch me make a fool of myself" she asked._

"_Definitely to make a fool of yourself since you seem to do it so often and so well. It's become one of my favorite pass times" laughed Chris._

"_Bite your tongue young man or I'll take you over my knee" the woman said before focusing on dangling circles in front of her._

"_Come on Paige you can do this" she said before throwing her first ball which only touched the rim of one of the circles. "Damn it!" _

"_Ha you throw like a girl" taunted Chris._

"_Quite you" Paige said before throwing her second ball. "Aww" came the response as she missed yet again._

"_Third times a charm" the woman spoke as she picked up the third ball and throwing it again with no luck. _

"_Last try darling" the man said._

"_Thank you for pointing out the obvious" replied Paige knowing that she would miss for a forth time._

_Raising the ball high in the air she was about to throw it when another hand grabbed her own._

"_Let me try" Chris said before taking the ball from his aunt and focusing on the circle in front of him. "Here goes nothing" the boy said before releasing the ball._

_Everyone watched on eagerly as the ball flew through the air and came closer and closer to the circle. It looked as if it were going to hit the bottom of the rim when suddenly it shifted directions and went right through the middle._

"_YES! Way to go Chris!" Paige yelled out._

"_Ok which one do you want" the man asked._

"_That one" the boy replied pointing to the pink and white animal._

"_Here ya go" the man spoke as he handed the stuffed animal to the boy._

"_And here you go" Chris said putting the bear into his aunts hand._

"_Oh my hero" she smile as she took his arm and the pair moved to rejoin her sister._

_**End of Flashback**_

Her smile widened as she as the images of that day came back to her. She knew that the boy had used magic to win it for her but she didn't care. He loved his aunt and he wanted to see her happy and that's all that mattered. Noticing the empty bottle in her hand she removed it from the child's mouth before placing him on her shoulder and patting him on the back softly.

"It really is you, isn't it Chris" she spoke in low voice. "I'm so happy you're back sweetie. I missed you so much" she said happy to know that she right and that her nephew wasn't lost and he had come back to her.

"Paige" someone called from the door causing her to look up.

"Piper, what is it" she questioned not really wanting to get into another round with the woman.

"I umm, I just wanted to check up on Chris" she said as she walked over to the bed.

"He's fine. He was just a little hungry that's all"

"Can I hold him" the mother asked.

"Sure. You don't have to ask to hold your child Piper" she said handing the boy over to his mother's awaiting arms.

"Hey there peanut" the woman spoke through tears. "How's my little boy?" she continued as Paige watched on.

"I know mommy's been a little off lately and I'm sorry about that. You see she's been a lot of pain for a long time now and when you're hurt sometimes you hurt the ones you love without knowing it but fortunately for us both I have your auntie Paige to give me a good hard kick in the butt when I need it" she said throwing a smile her sisters way.

"Anytime sis" she smiled back before grabbing her night clothes and leaving to give the mother and son some privacy.

"She loves you a lot you know. You're very lucky to have an aunt like her" the woman sighed.

"Oh sweetie I missed the other…I missed you so much that it hurt to be around you for too long but I guess you know how that is" she said referring to the her untimely demise in her son's original timeline.

"But that's no excuse is it? I shouldn't cut off my feelings for you because I'm afraid of losing you again it's not right and it's not fair. So I'm going to make some promises to you mister man. For starters I will try my best to let go of the pain and be happy that you're back in my arms again where you belong. Next I'm going to smoother you with kisses and hugs and probably make you neurotic for the second time around but hey what are mothers for right?" she smiled before planting a kiss on the boy's head causing him to smile back.

"I'm so sorry for everything peanut. I really am. I'll do better from now on, I promise" she said before exiting the room and taking her little boy with her as her sister reformed in her bedroom.

The younger witch had been listening to every word that her sister spoke to her child. And she couldn't be more thrilled. After all it was never her intention to hurt Piper but rather to show her what she was doing to her son and the precious moments she was missing by letting the pain of losing him control her life and their relationship.

Sighing heavily and sitting back on her bed Paige took her cherished stuffed animal in her hands and held it to her chest.

"Everything's going to be ok now sweetie" she softly spoke. "You're going to have a happy, bright future and no one deserves it more" she smiled before turning off her bedroom light and snuggling up with her precious gift as she feel asleep to the sound of Piper's happy laughter.


End file.
